Sorry
by Adina Mizu
Summary: Hive invasion is no joke, especially when ones matesprite could be in danger.
1. Chapter 1 - Hive Invasion

_"I'm sorry John." The troll whispered weakly as his eyes fluttered closed, "Sorry..."_

It was late at night at Vantas's hive and both he and John were sleeping; John was cuddled against Karkat's chest with the others arms wrapped around him protectively. They no longer slept on the floor but on an actual bed that John had flown in from his house. Slowly but surely the boy was spending more and more time in the hive then in his old house. This night would have passed just like all the others, except for one thing. Karkat had woken up.

It wasn't just a normal wake up either. He didn't need to go to the abulationroom, nor did he feel restless sleeping through the night anymore. Not after he had finally gotten his inner clock to match Johns. No, this was something external that had roused him. Something really external.

There was something in the hive.

Things like this never used to wake him, because before he had Crabdad to take care of it. But in the years after Crabdad had passed, what with the dangers of the game and all, his hearing had become sharp. Especially so when he slept.

At first he hadn't known why he had woken up, until a few moments later when he could make out the soft swing of hinges. It was faint, but he could also hear the faint scuffling of feet of somekind in the lower portion of his hive. He'd have thought it was John except the boy was securely sleeping against him. The Cancer's senses flared as his body pumped the proper fluids to his thinkpan in order to prep him for battle if needed. And it was. No one broke into his hive and threatened the safety of his matesprite or himself and got away with it.

Carefully sliding his arms from around John, Karkat covered the boy with a heavy blanket to keep him warn in his absence. He didn't want to wake him unless absolutely necessary. Pulling his sickles off the dresser near the door Karkat slowly and quietly opened the aforesaid door to the hallway, listening closely for any sign that whoever it was knew he was awake. When he was sure they didn't he slipped out and closed the door, wishing he could lock it from the outside.

He made it to the stairs and looked down them, his night vision carving them out clearly despite the shadows. Stepping down each step like it were glass Karkat took his time in decending. There was no need to rush this after all. He stood between the intruder and John which was his main concern. Knowing this he felt calm enough to take it slow, to think and hopefully not make a mistake.

There was a shifting of furnature and Karkat froze in place midway down. It had sounded close. His ears twitched as he tried to locate the other. The hive was quiet on the surface, but Karkat could find all the hidden sounds inside. The hum of the tempurate control cubicle, the near silent buzzing of electricity through the walls, John's breathing upstairs. He didn't realize he had focused in on it until he realized it was all he was hearing; listening to make sure he was still alseep, still safe. Shaking his head the troll tried once more to find the tresspasser by sound and damn near jumped out of his skin when he could hear the other's breath at the bottom of the stairs, just around the corner.

Karkat raised his sickles defensively, silently hoping whoever it was would move away. He had the high ground and with his fighting style this was ideal, but he still felt uneasy. This would be his first time defending his hive on his own after all. Despite his desire to do this and do it right he felt an anxious knot settle in his gut.

What happened next was something akin to chaos contained in a mere instant of time. Everything seemed to slow to a crawl as the figure below moved out from behind the corner, coming into full view of the stairs. Karkat raised his sickles higher and lurched forward at the form, not even getting a chance to get a proper look at it. He could feel every muscle in his legs as he kicked off the step, feel the lack of wind resistance against his blades as they curved down towards the offender. The next instant everything seemed to be in hyper speed. There was a sharp sound of metal hitting metal and the dull thud of a body hitting the floor. Scuffling, pounding, more sounds of metal on metal. There was the shattering of glass and a yelped gasp of pain.

After a moment Karkat's mind finally caught up with him. He was slumped against the door frame that lead into the kitchen. He couldn't feel the majority of his body and his limbs felt like they were weighted down with lead. He tried moving his head to inspect the damage but his head throbbed and he choked out a whimper of pain. There was a dulled noise that seemed to float around in his head, but he was unable to focus on it. It started to sound desprite and although he didn't know what it was it broke his heart to hear it.

John's eyes jolted open at the sudden resonance of metal against metal and when there was a heavy thud he sat straight up in bed.

"Karkat?" He asked in alarm and confusion looking around at the empty room.

From down stairs John could hear the sounds of a scuffle, one where weapons were obviously involved. John snatched his glasses from the nightstand and leapt from the bed heading for the door as fast as he could, stumbling over his feet as he did so. His body froze at the sound of a voice yelping, a sliver of ice traveling up his spine. Not taking the time to grab his own weapon John hooved it down the hall with all the speed and grace of a stampede.

By the time he had reached the stairs, however, everything had gone quiet. He couldn't see anything in the dark no matter how hard he squinted.

"Karkat?" He called out tentatively.

When there was no reply John took a deep breath and started his own slow decent. Near the bottom there was a noise that caught his attention. A pathetic whimpering from the kitchen. He called out Karkat's name again in his half whisper only to continue to get no reply. Once John reached the bottom step his eyes went wide and his mouth dropped.

There against the far end of the room, propped up poorly on the door frame was Karkat. Even in the dark from where he stood John could make out the glint of a knive handle protruding from the trolls chest.

"_KARKAT!_" The boy shrieked as he literally flew across the room and knelt by the other, "Karkat, can you hear me?! Karkat!"

John took the others head in his hands gently and tried to get him to respond. The trolls eyes were glossy and dulled, but he could still feel him breathing. Shallowly, but breathing none the less.

"Karkat, _please_ say something." John pleaded.

He reached for the trolls wrist and felt for a pulse.

Had to find out how much time he had before-

It was weaker then normal, but he at least still had time. John looked at the blade lodged in the others chest and swallowed thickly, blinking back his tears of panic.

He had to pull it out, had to stop the bleeding.

Reaching up gingerly for the handle John winced when he touched it. Karkat didn't respond though. Taking a deep breath John tightened his grip on it and started to pull. At this Karkat's eyes widened before squeezing shut, a yelp jumping from his throat before he coughed thickly; a spray of bright red

blood leaving his mouth. John's grip on the knive was white knuckled now as he used his free hand to hold the other still. With a quick tug he pulled it free earning another cry of pain from the troll.

Tossing the knive away John immeadiately covered the now freely bleeding wound with his hand, cursing himself for not remembering to grab a med kit before pulling it out. Raising his other hand John used his windy ability to whip the blanket from the couch over towards him. Pulling Karkat away from the wall as gently as he could he laid the troll down and wrapped him up. Jumping to his feet he raced to the closet and ripped through it trying despritely to find one of the medical kit's he knew he had placed there at some point. He could hear the troll coughing up more blood on the opposite side of the room, causing his search to become more frantic.

Karkat weezed from his position on the floor, trying to swallow the brightly colored liquid that was bubbling up his throat. He could feel the searing pain rolling over him from his chest, could feel more of his blood seeping out of the wound that sat there. The Cancer still couldn't move his arms, though he tried. He could hear banging from somewhere in the room and tried to speak but only ended up coughing heavily, painting the blanket over him as well as his lips with red.

After what seemed like an hour he felt something move beside him, a hand wiping his forehead of prespiration he didn't even know was there. The voice was distorted and his image fuzzy, but Karkat was sure it was John. He could feel the boys hands shaking as they moved over his body, pulling his shirt up and wiping away at the blood that had spilled out of him already. He knew he had cried out at one point because the form above him jolted and muttered something over and over.

He whimperd and choked out sobs as the boy did his best to bandage the injury. It hurt so much, so very very much. He could hardly breath at this point and his already shallow breathes became shakey and strained. He had been stabbed before, a few times actually, but this time was different. It was higher up, deeper and it hurt more, so much more. He didn't know if it was that his body had just become unaccustomed to the feel or if the damage was just that much greater.

John was full on panicing now. He tried to saunch the bleeding but the trolls blood seeped through all the bandages he put on him. All he could do was keep pressure on it and beg for some kind of solution to come to him. Looking around the room for something useful his heart nearly skipped a beat when he could see Karkat's phone on the table near the front door, still on it's charger. Bolting up to get it John flipped it open and hit speed dial for whoever happened to be his last call, returning to Karkat's side.

The troll was struggling to breath now, whimpers drifting from him pitifully. John's heart cringed at the noise every time. Taking the trolls hand he tried to comfort him as best he could. The phone rang on and on and every moment it went unanswered John felt his anxiety grow worse and worse.

"Kk? Your up late, what'th up?" A familiar voice broke over the cell.

"Sollux?" John's voice cracked.

"Jn? What'th wrong?" The Psiiconic asked, now serious upon hearing the boys paniced voice.

"Sollux, I-I don't know what to do. I can't stop the bleeding and-"

"Bleeding? John, what'th happened? Where'th Karkat?"

"He's hurt. I don't know what happened, but when I found him- Fuck Sollux I don't what to do." John's voice broke into sobs as his tears rolled down his cheeks, unable to hold them back any longer.

"John. John, lithten to me okay. Focuth" Sollux ordered through the phone, "Jutht cover up what you can and try to get him into hith recuperacoon. The thlime will help. I'm on my way, jutht keep it together okay?"

John tried to reply but could do little more then choke back a heavy sob.

"John. Do you underthtand me?"

He made a sound to show he understood which seemed to be all the other troll needed to hear.

"Good, now get him into the thlime." The Gemini repeated before hanging up.

John placed the cell phone on the floor and tried to slide his arms under the injured troll. He could feel the pool of blood that had built up and soaked through the others clothing. Karkat gasped and whined at the pain caused by the sudden movement.

"It's okay Karkat, I got you. Everything is going to be okay. I p-promise." John consoled as best he could, "I'm not going t-to let anything happen to you."

Another weak whimper crawled from the Cancer's throat followed by a gargled cough as John turned both as quickly and gently as he could towards the stairs. The boy's heart was beating like crazy in his chest to the point where he was almost certain it was going to give out on him. All he could do was hope he could get the troll into his recuperacoon before that happened.

Best hang on to that ledge there folks.

This is how this is going to work. I am going to give you numbers 1 through 3 and you are going to are going to give me a review with one of these numbers for the ending.

1 - if you just want to cry.

2 - if you want to cry and clutch your chest a little.

3 - for feeling the utter devistation true sadstuck can inflict.


	2. Chapter 2 - Let Me Protect You

John sat on the edge of the recuperacoon watching Karkat as he slept. It didn't seem to be pleasant as the troll would let out a choked growl when he could, his face contorted into a look of distress. He gave Karkat's hand a squeeze so as to comfort him, though it didn't seem to be doing anything. He looked out the window as best he could from his seat, keeping an eye out for Sollux. Already nearly an hour and a half had passed and the monochrome eyed troll was no where to be seen. John had thought to call him but he had left the phone downstairs and he didn't want to risk leaving Karkat's side.

It was impossible to tell if the slime was helping him of not; the usually green liquid had been dyed a sickening shade of brown as it mixed with all the freely flowing blood that had been pouring out of the troll's wounds when he had been first submerged. With a jolt Karkat gave a sharp cough, expelling more of his bright red blood. John slipped from his seat briefly to grab a piece of clothing from the floor, using it to wipe away the blood that had been left on the Cancer's chin.

"Karkat." John's voice was quiet as he leaned over and placed his head against the trolls, "Please, Karkat. Please be okay. I need you."

It hurt to see him like this. It hurt to talk to him and not get a response, and not because they wer fighting or anything, this was because he literally couldn't reply. No being told to shut up or that he was being a 'sappy fuckass'. Just, nothing.

"Please." John pleaded, tears once more running down his cheeks.

His eyes jolted open as something slightly slimy touched his face.

"Don't cry, John." Karkat's voice drifted weakly from his throat.

"Karkat!" John jolted back, grabbing the others hand as it started to fall back into the slime again, "Oh god, Karkat, are you okay? I mean, I can see your not 'okay, okay', but-"

"John." Karkat interrupted as the boy started to go off.

John stopped talking and just sat there waiting for him to continue.

"Are you, alright?" The Cancer asked breathing heavily.

"What? Yea. Yes, Karkat I'm fine. You're the one that's that injured." John replied with confusion.

Karkat just closed his eyes with a look of relief.

"What happened?" John asked after a minute of silence.

Karkat shook his head, his brow knit with discomfort. John reached up and wiped the trolls forehead with his sleeve.

"Please, Karkat. What did this to you?" He tried again.

"I, didn't get a look." Karkat replied breathily.

The Cancer's eyes opened suddenly as a thought occurred to him and he looked around the room as quickly as he could which caused him to wince sharply. He tried to sit up as well but John held him down.

"Whoa, hold on, Karkat. You need to stay still, you've lost a lot of blood." John protested as he tried to keep the other from climbing out of the slime.

"No, it could still be here." Karkat argued, though he slumped back into the recuperacoon easily enough.

"It's fine. Nothing is here, trust me. I was downstairs with you before, remember?" John tried to assure his Matesprite, "It was gone. You're safe now. We both are."

"It could come back."

"It won't."

"You don't know that." Karkat wheezed as he got worked up, "I didn't kill it."

"Sh, it's okay." John shooshed him, placing a hand on his cheek to calm him down.

"But if it comes back, John-"

"Then I'll take care of it."

"But-"

"Let me protect you, okay?"

Karkat was nearly hyperventilating at this point clearly not comfortable with the situation. John looked scared, but so very determined at the same time. He had that same determination himself earlier though, and look where it got him. Oh no, Krakat was not okay with this situation at all.

"Where's my phone?" He asked, "I'm calling Gamzee."

"Sollux is already on his way." John replied, "I called him a while ago and he said he would be here as soon as he could."

"He's on his way?"

"Yea."

Karkat looked more relaxed with this new bit of information.

"How long has it been since you called him?"

John thought for a moment, not really sure how long they had been there.

"Over an hour at least I think, but definately under two." He replied, "I'll call him again to see where he is."

Karkat hummed as a reply, but when John started to stand his eyes shot open.

"Where are you going?" He asked sitting up straighter.

"To get the phone." John answered simply, "I left it downstairs by accident. It'll only take a second to grab it."

"John."

"It'll be fine. It's right at the bottom of the stairs." John reassured his matesprite before he had a chance to try and climb out after him, "I'll be right back, I promise."

Karkat stared at him not fully convinced that things were safe. In order to make the troll feel better John leaned back over him and kissed his cheek. The Cancer let out a sigh and nodded. He was probably just over reacting from the attack earlier. John knew how to fight and he had the wind on his side. As far as a fight with a simple burglar went, John's decked was stacked to win.

"Take your hammer with you. Just in case." Karkat said as the boy moved off again.

John nodded and gave another reassuring smile as he picked up his weapon from beside the door and made his way out. He hadn't bothered with turning on lights earlier and so the hall was still dark. Once he reached the switches near the stairs he lit both the up stairs and the stairway itself. With all the tension in the hive right now that last thing he needed was to fall down the stairs and spook Karkat any further.

The decent was relatively quick as John made his way to the living room. He slowed up as he caught sight of all the blood Karkat had lost, but managed to approach it anyway. The sight was sickening as the pooled liquid had started to solidify and stain the floor. Leaning the Zillyhoo against the couch end John got on his knees and tried to locate the Cancers cell. He thought he had left it beside the coffee table as he had been kneeling close by it when Karkat was still on the floor. When he didn't spot it he figured he must have kicked it when he had picked up his matesprite to bring him up to his slime bed.

He started to crawl around on his hands, looking under furniture as he went. He was halfway across the living room when he spotted it under one of the large lounging chairs. Sliding his arm under he tried to grasp it, but even with his normal long reach he could only graze it with his fingers. When he finally managed to slide it into his hand he froze. Behind him he could hear a clicking noise, and not the click of the Alternian language either.

Rolling over quickly to face the threat John didn't have anytime to react to what he saw before a sharp stinging echoed through his chest. Looking down John could see a small spatter of blood starting to stain his shirt. It hurt, but he could tell it wasn't deep. Looking up again John stared the strange creature before him. It's body was a white carapace similar to what Karkat had described the lusus being made of. It's body was reminiscent of a lobster mixed with a pray-mantis. The tail, which was curling back in, had a small barb on the end. A barb that was now tipped with blood. Its arms ended with a sort of hand like form, and those hands were holding something familiar.

Karkat's sickles.

He hadn't even thought to look for them before hand, but there they were. Chancing a glance towards the couch just behind the creature John could just see the handle to his own weapon. Left and nearly forgotten on the other side of the room. He tried to summon the wind to retrieve it for him, but for some reason it wasn't listening to him. Neither, did it seem, was his voice. He could feel the muscles start to go slack and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't force a single sound from his throat that was any louder then a whimper. It was now that John realized why the first hit hadn't been to kill. That barbed tail, it had been poisoned.

He had been poisoned.

John struggled to lift himself to his feet, though the action caused his head to go foggy and his legs to go limp. Falling to his knees John looked at the creature and with the last bit of conscious will he had he tried to summon the breeze. He wasn't awake long enough to see if it worked.

While John headed down stairs Karkat focused his energy on listening to him. It was harder to hear now because of both the closed door and the throbs of pain that his injury was sending out. He grew concerned when he heard the other get to his knees and start to crawl about, though it didn't take long for him to figure out why. John had said he had called earlier while they were both downstairs. While he had been bleeding out on the floor. He was probably looking for the phone which had been left on the floor when John had moved him upstairs.

Then there was the clicking.

It was quite at first, but then it grew louder. But not towards him. Towards John. And he didn't hear it coming. The Cancer's eye widened as he sat bolt upright.

"John" He whispered hoarsely.

Using everything he could muster Karkat pulled himself out of the recuperacoon and managed to stay on his feet. There was a thud from below and Karkat forced himself to move towards the door. He tried to call out to John but his throat was far too tense to get a sound out. He could hear John though. Could hear his whimper.

When a second thud reached Karkat's ears he all but threw himself down the stairs. To say his decent this time was graceless would be a gross understatement. When he reached the bottom he was surprisingly still on his feet, though leaning heavily on the wall. His breath was ragged and his vision hazy, but he could still make out a body on the other side of the room. John's body. His bloody body.

The Knight of Blood turned his gaze to the invader that stood between him and John's form. This look held naught but the shear blinding rage that filled his veins. His pupils had narrowed into slits and the yellow sclera of his eyes had turned a deep red-orange. His fangs were fully exposed and the snarls that tore from his throat were nothing less then pure venom. His fingers cracked as his claws were bared as well. Whatever thought had started in his mind was gone now, fully enveloped in the thick blanket of fury that took over and let his instincts take control.

You wanted to sob huh? Get those towels ready folks, we coming up on the close.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Blood Knight's Revenge

Red.

Everything was red.

He could see a moment ago, but not now. Now everything was just vivid shades of red, sharp and angry. Not since he had seen John.

John.

Just the name brought waves of stabbing pain though him again. It pierced him like he was nothing. It seared everything it touched and lit him on fire. And everything was red.

John was red.

John.

The moment Karkat had seen John's blood covered body on the floor, one of his own sickles jutting awkwardly from his neck, his mind shut down. His adrenaline and defensive instincts went into overtime and prepared to deal with his matesprites murderer. Even the lusi had noticed the change in him, both in his scent and by the feral sounds he was emitting now. When it had attacked the troll earlier it took little more then a stab from its stinger and the knife to put him down. But fighting a rabid troll was nothing like fighting a troll in its normal state of mind. It didn't know what had set the thing off, but it was definitely pissed.

The lusi took a step back to steady itself in preparation for the attack, an action which set the troll in motion. Karkat, his body ignoring the pain from his earlier wound, darted forward and leapt clear over the back of the couch. Landing for only a moment at its feet Karkat launched himself up and swiped, his claws connecting and managing to to draw blood. The lusi swung down with one of the troll's sickles and clipped him on the shoulder. Jumping back a step the Cancer sidestepped and, using the broken coffee table, he once more threw himself at the beast. Latching onto its back the troll clawed and even bit anything and everything he could reach.

There was no plan or tactic to his attacks and reason had left him the moment John had. John, the blue eyed Heir of Breath. He was gone. He was gone and so help him Karkat was going to do the same to the bastard responsible.

The rogue lusi shook and rampaged trying to dislodge its unwelcome rider. It swiped with the stolen blades, tried clipping him with its own claws and biting him whenever a limb came close enough to grab. Karkat dug his fingers into the creatures shell-like body where ever he could, where the shell was weak, and started to pull and rip pieces of it off. It bled heavily as it was literally being torn into and with a final heave it managed to toss the troll from its back.

Karkat slammed into the wall and landed on the floor with a heavy thud. Picking himself up as quickly as he could the Knight wasn't even fully to his feet before he was moving towards the lusi again. Running at the thing, fangs bared and claws extended, the troll lunged. The lusi was quicker this time, however, and swung one of its larger arms connecting solidly with the Cancer's middle.

He landed once more on the floor as dead weight as the wind had been forced from his lungs. Coughing heavily Karkat tried to lift himself back up, though the amount of pain his body was in was starting to break past the barrier that the adrenaline had created. Once he could suck in enough air to manage a breath he resumed the snarling that resonated through his whole being. He was about to dive into the battle once more when something caught his eye.

A flickering of light.

He turned to look towards the glow but didn't get the chance to see what it was. All he could feel was a sharp searing pain penetrate his back and rip through him.

Things were slow, so very slow. There was pain, but he couldn't really feel it, not now. He could hear snarling, but he knew it wasn't there. There wasn't even an growling at this point. Echos of ripping fabric and even the sickening sound of tearing flesh rolled around in the dark. But that wasn't happening now either. Those sounds weren't really there...Right?

Furniture was trampled and glass shattered somewhere in the background. The struggle ended abruptly with the sound of a final ripping of flesh. Blood spattering onto the floor and other such surfaces. But, that wasn't real. It wasn't. It couldn't be. The black was lying. It couldn't be real. It didn't hurt anymore. It couldn't be real if it didn't hurt. Right?

Then there was that sound again. He couldn't remember what it was, but he recognized it. He had heard it before. That same heartbreaking sound.

Mehehehehe. B)


	4. Chapter 4 - Wrath of the Heir

It was loud, he knew that. There was definately something happening around him, but it was hard to figure out what it was exactly. His head was foggy as was usual at first, though he knew it would clear in a moment. When it did he wished it hadn't. Blood sprayed forward and splattered his face. It was a brighter hue then the red that was already there. A familiar curved blade stuck out from the equally familiar body infront of him, protruding from the chest from having clearly been stabbed from behind.

"K-karkat?" His voice was weak and just hardly audible.

When the troll started to fall forward John grabbed him not even caring that the blade stucking out ran across his own abs causing a line of blood to flow down his front once more. His eyes were wide and his voice cracked as he lowered the troll into his lap on his side, the sickle keeping him from being on his back.

"K-kark-kat." John's voice trembled so badly he could hardly even get the words out.

The Knight didn't reply. His eyes were only half open and his expression was painfully blank. He was absolutely covered with the bright candy red and his whole body was limp. John brought a hand to the trolls face and traced his cheek with shakily. Closing his eyes tightly he could feel the stream of tears already running freely down his face.

"-hn."

John's eyes flittered to his matesprite's as the breathy noise reached his ears. There was a small glimmer of consciousness there, but it was just barely visible. His lips moved slowly, weakly, with words that his vocal cords couldn't manage to make.

"Karkat." John's voice cracked as he looked down at the troll.

He brushed his fingers over his face again, trembling. The troll made an attempt to move his own hand but could only get it to shift slightly. John, picked it up and brought it up to his face rubbing the bloodly hand against his cheek smearing his tears with the red fluid. He could see the pain that was behind Karkat's eyes as tinted tears started to form. Coughing thickly Karkat struggled to speak.

"No. K-karkat, please. Don't talk." John pleaded, his own voice giving out on certain syllables, "Sh, it's okay. I'll save you. I'll protect you. I promised."

Shaking his head weakly Karkat curled his fingers as best he could around John's hand, which was still held against the boy's cheek. John stopped talking, whimpering as the troll tried to speak again. It hurt, but the Cancer strained until he managed to force his vocals to work.

"I'm sorry John." The troll whispered it a cracked voice as his eyes fluttered closed, "Sorry..."

"Karkat."

John waited, though he could feel it already.

"Karkat."

Louder now, but still nothing.

Looking back into the troll's eyes John could see nothing but a lifelessness. The Knight's pupils had only just started to fill with the red that displayed his blood color. It was so vivid once, but now. Now it only looked sickening. It was never going to hold that beautiful glimmer again. Even if they met in the deam bubbles, those eyes would never be there.

Karkat.

Karkat was...dead.

His Knight was dead.

John sat with the trolls body in his lap rocking slowly back and forth. He held the troll to his chest tightly, ignoring the blade that bit into him. He struggled to breath as he squeezed his eyes closed.

"Karkat." He whimpered over and over again.

The wind picked up from inside the hive and started to whip around the boy and his dead matesprite. The rocking became more feverent and the winds picked up to where furniture was starting to go flying about the room.

"Karkat. _Karkat_. _**KARKAT!**_." John screamed as loud as his voice could manage.

The winds in the house blasted outward spraying the gathered items out as well, the couch going clean through the wall leading outside. The hive creaked and groaned with the strain from trying not to collapse. When the blast let up there was an angry clicking noise as one of the chairs was kicked from one of the still standing walls. The lusi had been pinned down but still managed to survive.

John looked up at it now, his eyes tear stained but undeniably dark. The lusi, in one of its many hands, held firmly onto the handle of his Zillyhoo. Just like how it had Karkat's sickles before and used them. Used them to-

Turning his attention down back to the fallen Knight of Blood John pulled the blade from his back and laid his on the floor. Picking up the blade that had been used to try and decapitate John crossed them and placed them over the troll's chest.

While John was distracted the lusi took the time to lunge at him. John looked up sharply and raised a hand. The wind hit the beast with the force of a train and sent it careening backwards all the way into the kitchen. John floated to the doorway and landed gently watching as the thing struggled to its feet from being barried under the crumbled bits of the ceiling. As it did so John raised his hand forward again, only this time the wind tugged towards him. From under the rubble flew the Zillyhoo, returning to its rightful place in the hand of the Heir of Breath.

John stalked forward and without even hesitating he brought the hammer down with all the strength he had. The carapice cracked all the way through breaking off one of its legs. When he raised the hammer a second time the creature unfolded its tail to reveal the barb on the end. John never gave it a chance and the next hit broke the tail right off. Picking the tail up John looked it over as the creature struggled to find an escape.

Taking a step forward John jammed the tip of the barb into one of the few exposed places on it's body. It took a few moments to work, as it had with him and supposedly Karkat the first time. All the while John continued to hammer away at it, breaking off its limbs one by one. When finally it was down to just its head he stopped. It was hardly even breathing at this point, though the paralysis made it kind of hard to tell.

John looked down at it, his eyes still viscious and cold. He shifted his gaze to glance over the seperated appendages and slowly moved to pick one up. This, this _thing_ was fond of taking weapons from its victims. Of killing them with their own stolen items. It was his turn to feel the bite of his own claws. Taking one of the hands with the largest claws John set his own hammer down and raised the limb over his head. Driving it down he plunged it's points into the beasts skull. It jolted once, and then nothing.

Sollux landed outside his moirail's hive imeadiately aware that something was seriously wrong. One of the walls was down and the couch was in the lawnring. There was the smell of blood in the air too. A lot of blood. He had landed close by the back door that lead into the kitchen and not wanting to go through the hole in the livingroom he entered there.

He was startled at the sight of a lusus torn to shit and impaled with it's own arm on the floor. Looking a little closer though it became clear it wasn't a lusus, not really. It _was _a lusi, but the scent of it was rogue. It had never had a grub to look after before, which made it one of the more violent lusi.

Wandering through the door that lead into the livingroom Sollux's eyes imeadiately fell on John's form, his back was towards him. He was kneeling on the ground covered in blood, both his and not. A knot tied in the yellowbloods stomach as another form could be seen laid out infrom of the human. The Mage approached slowly, his breath catching as he realized that it wasn't moving.

"Jn, is- is that-" He couldn't bring himself to say it.

John didn't reply and so the troll made his way over to kneel beside the boy. John's eyes were dull and staring though the form of his dead mateprite. Karkat lay where John had placed him earlier, his blades crossed over his chest though his eyes were now fully closed.

"Jn?"

Nothing.

"John?" Sollux said a little louder, his voice cracking with his own imminent emotional break.

When John continued to ignore him Sollux slid back and looked down at his departed moirail. The moirail he had failed. A stab went through his chest and in minutes he was in tears too. He had been on his way. He should have been there. Could have, if he had flown faster. he had failed his moirail and now he was dead.

"He wasn't supposed to be down here." John's voice broke the tense air, though it was hollow sounding.

Sollux looked over at him, the Heir's eyes wre still looking into nothing.

"He was supposed to be in the recuperacoon. I came down to get the phone. He tried to warn me." His sentences were short, as if any longer and they would break too, "I should have locked the door. He wouldn't have come down."

His already puffy eyes teard up again as he went on.

"I knew I would be safe though." He closed his eyes tightly now, "I knew I couldn't die. Even if it was here, I knew. I knew I was still immortal. It's my fault."

Sollux looked at John with confusion here and the boy turned to face him. He opened his eyes and they showed a peircing ice blue that swallowed whatever joy they once held.

"I killed him, I killed my matesprite."

END


End file.
